1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus for covering the electrical connectors of a notebook computer and, more particularly, to a hinged cover assembly having a sliding door adapted to allow access to a preselected electrical connector while covering the remaining electrical connectors on the notebook computer.
2. Background of the Invention
There are devices in common use for covering the electrical connectors on notebook computers. Such devices provide a cover plate that allows coverage of the electrical connectors on the notebook computer or, alternatively, allows access to the electrical connectors on the notebook computer.
Some of the earlier cover assemblies simply snapped on and off the housing of the notebook computer so that the cover plate was completely removable from the housing. Subsequently, improved cover assemblies were movably attached to the housing to both reduce inadvertent removal of the cover and reduce misplacing the cover after it was removed.
Compaq Computer Corporation of Houston, Tex. has manufactured and sold notebook computers as shown in FIGS. 1-6 which are adapted to connect to an expansion base. The two illustrated notebook computers have movable cover assemblies for covering the electrical connectors.
FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a notebook computer Model LTE 386s/20 manufactured by Compaq Computer Corporation which includes a cover plate slidable relative to the computer housing between an uncovered position and a covered position. When the cover plate is slid to its uncovered position, as best shown in FIG. 2, all the electrical connectors are accessible including an expansion base connector. Some other electrical connectors on this LTE 386s/20 notebook computer, also commonly found on other notebook computers, include an A/C adaptor/battery charger connector; mouse connector; numeric keypad connector; video connector; parallel printer connector and serial connector.
Though the cover plate of FIG. 2 could be partially slid open to expose only some of the connectors, the configuration of any of the above connectors including the expansion base connector, along with their relative position to one another on the notebook computer, would not allow access to a preselected connector without undesirably exposing another electrical connector.
FIGS. 4-6 illustrate a laptop computer Model SLT 286, also manufactured by Compaq Computer Corporation. The SLT 286 notebook computer includes a single cover plate that is centrally hinged so that the cover plate can be flipped between an uncovered position, by pivoting the cover plate into the recess in the upper portion, as best shown in FIG. 5, or the covered position, by pivoting the cover plate to the lower portion to cover all the electrical connectors, as best shown in FIG. 4.
None of the above cover assemblies allow access to a preselected connector without undesirably exposing other electrical connectors on the computer. It is known to those skilled in the art that the exposure of the open ends of the electrical connectors undesirably permits introduction of foreign matter into the connectors that can reduce the performance of the connectors or produce erroneous operation of the computer.
Particularly when laptop or notebook computers are used with expansion bases, there has been a need for a cover assembly that permits access to a plurality of electrical connectors when the computer is used independent of the expansion base or, alternatively, the cover plate can cover the remaining connectors of the notebook computer while allowing access to the expansion base connector. The expansion base connector provides electrical connection of the computer to the expansion base.
Additionally, there has been a need for a cover plate that can cover the remaining connectors of the notebook computer while allowing access to a printer connector when the notebook computer is used independent of the expansion base.